Reworking the 2-6-0 to have DCC & Sound is a good idea, especially if it means adding all-wheel pickup to the tender. Adding a 4-6-0 to the line is also an excellent suggestion. Doing these two simultaneously, using as many common parts as possible, such as tender, cab, boiler (maybe with an interchangeable smokebox) is a great idea. Using a new, common drive with non symmetrical driver centers would also be an improvement that would be useful to more modelers, not increase the cost for the sets already using the existing 2-6-0, and would result in a new & slightly different 2-6-0. If the tenders were to be made available separately, owners could easily upgrade their existing 2-6-0's.

Doing a Maine type 2-6-2 with tender, especially if it was SR&RL #24, would definately be more than I could stand however! (I can only hope!)

Doing an additional boxcar, but longer (28') & narrower (6-1/2' or 7') in the style of the Maine two footers, and with right-opening doors, would go well with the Forneys.

As an added note: Now that the boxcar has been re-worked & improved with the lowered frame and separately applied ladders and grab irons, (a big improvement) there really needs to be some grab irons added on the left of the car side. How else is a 1/48 scale brakeman going to be able to use that stirrup step?

I agree a larger 2 truck Shay would be nice but I would expect the order to be a Heisler and then a 3 truck Shay before another 2 truck, simply because no versions have been done.

Protoype 30 inch gauge 2 truck Shays were made up to about 42 tons and 30 inch gauge 3 truck Shays up to about 60 tons, so there is plenty of choice for models that would appeal to both those modelling 3 foot and those modelling 30 inch gauge roads.

If I were the CFO, I would look at past history and what the Ten-Wheeler did for making G-scale so popular. Considering that the drawings, etc for the loco and rolling stock already exist, I think I would push along these lines for my next On30 foray.

Plus, in On30, there ain't nuthin' purtier than ET&WNC #12 would be! Or 10, 11, and 14 for that matter!

If I were the CFO, I would look at past history and what the Ten-Wheeler did for making G-scale so popular. Considering that the drawings, etc for the loco and rolling stock already exist, I think I would push along these lines for my next On30 foray.Matt Bumgarner

The 4-6-0 has been the main train set loco in Large Scale and is relatively inexpensive compared to some of the other large Scale locos. Thus it has been a very popular starter loco . That role in ON30 has been taken by the 2-6-0, with similar results to that of the 4-6-0 in Large Scale. Are you proposing replacing the 2-6-0 with a 4-6-0? I am not sure that Bachmann would want to spend the money involved as long as the 2-6-0 is still selling. As an additional loco it would not have the train set role and would probably have to be relatively more expensive. Given this it would be performing a different role, and the Large Scale experience would be no guide as to its success.

I would use my existing drawings to save money and produce the gramps tank car in On30, also the 3 cylinder shay and the heisler. I think if new drawings were in order, I would do a ten wheeler like RGS 20.

Personally, I've got a few On30 Moguls, and I would find it very difficult to pass up any 4-6-0. And while the idea of using existing Mogul components to build a 4-6-0 might sound like a good idea, Bachmann always seems to go the extra mile, and makes each loco unique, without re-using any parts. So I suspect that the 4-6-0 would be different enough from the Mogul to interest a number of modelers. It's just like in LS: Bachmann started with the 4-6-0, but made two types of Moguls, I think. And the 4-6-0 is still around.

I think the same idea would apply to the Heisler. I mean, it's another logging loco, just like the Shay and Climax, so wouldn't a Heisler affect the sales of the other logging locos? I don't think so, judging by the comments on this board, and as CFO, I would probably be pushing for the Heisler to be the next release, even though I have very little interest in buying one myself.

Still, most CFO's are going to make decisions based on past sales numbers, and we can only guess what those numbers really are.

Why limit the discussion to steam locomotives? Bachmann's gas-mechanical critter is very popular, and as we are designing for a worldwide market, I would add a short four-axle diesel locomotive. And considering the hundreds of body kits that Boulder Valley Models has sold to fit over Bachmann GE 44-ton and 70-ton mechanisms, Bachmann already has the perfect power unit for a diesel of its choosing. Although Europe is still building narrow gauge diesels today, to promote more sales I would pick a model that fits with the steam to diesel transition era.